Movie Review

The Passion of the Christ

Mel Gibson's labor of love, The Passion of the Christ, chronicles the death of Jesus Christ, but what the audience could really use is more background on the way he lived.

Jesus of Nazareth (Jim Caviezel) is a carpenter who became known as the son of God, and lead his disciples in the ways of love. His story begins in dark, creepy wood with a conversation between him and (not that the movie made any hint of this) the devil (Rosalinda Celentano). She mocks him, saying that no man can suffer the sins of the world, but of course he is up for the ultimate test.

He apparently knows that Roman soldiers are coming for him, tipped by one of his disciples, Judas (Luca Lionello). They grab him and take him back to the high priests, labeling him a blasphemer and wish for his immediate execution. They take him before Governor Pontius Pilate (Hristo Shopav), who is at first reluctant to pass any judgement because no matter what he chooses, it will anger someone. His final decision is to let Jesus suffer for his crimes, and so begins a long string of brutal punishment that involves whippings, people spitting at him, and hammering a crown of thorns to his head.

This movie has been the subject of controversy for a very long time now, with Jewish leaders pointing out that it is anti-Semitic and many others claiming it is way too violent. The film presents Jews in a very bloodthirsty light and is extremely violent. It serves as a sickening depiction of the Roman soldiers? cruelty, as the beatings and the insurmountable other afflictions they hand out are of the most graphic in nature. While the movie is very violent, the message never comes out.

The movie is so wrapped up in its violence that it loses Jesus' message of love and inspires only resentment for the people handing out this intolerable punishment; this is a very one-sided interpretation of Jesus' life. Things such as his teachings of love, the way he inspired people, and who he was as a person are handled in flashbacks which are barely given time to resonate with the viewer before this massive pounding starts. This is a very bad movie not just for kids, but anyone. It's less a biblical lesson than a biblical massacre, both metaphorically and literally.

The only good that comes out of "The Passion of the Christ" is that it shows conviction. I believe that Gibson did have good intentions here and you have to admire the effort he took to get this movie made, and to stand by it under such strong scrutiny. Sadly the film misses the mark entirely, as this is a very cold film, one that embraces violence over emotion ? there is no power in that.

Craig's Grade: C-

A	10.9%
B	41.8%
C	31.8%
D	15.3%
F	0.3%